WARNING : DOGS STILL IN GREAT DANGER IN ANDHRA PRADESH !

Dear all Friends, During the last few months there has been a lot of uncertainty concerning the safety and the destiny of stray dogs in Andhra Pradesh. After the unfortunate case of a six-year-old girl being mauled by stray dogs in Guntur District, the government of AP took the mad, cruel and also illegal decision to kill all the stray dogs! Thanks to the intervention of the Human Society International/India and also some known union minister, the order to kill stray dogs has been withdrawn and it has been decided to conduct an intensive sterilization and vaccination program. (http://www.hsi.org/world/india/news/releases/2015/04/andhra-pradesh-panchayat-raj-stray-dog-control-042415.html and http://www.medindia.net/news/order-to-kill-stray-dog-population-withdrawn-by-andhra-pradesh-panchayat-raj-148589-1.htm) But recently, the local newspaper Andhra Bhoomi dated 29.05.2015, reported that the Kadiri Municipality (AP, situated 48 km from Puttaparthi) has removed hundreds of dogs from Kadiri town and dropped them at a remote forest area, to let them starve there! The Municipal Commissioner Sri Venkata Ramana informed the local newspapers that the instruction to relocate the dogs was given from higher official. Under Stray Dog management Rules 2001, it is illegal for an individual, RWA or estate management to remove or relocate dogs. The dogs have to be sterilized and vaccinated and returned to the same area. Vaccinated and sterilized dogs cannot be removed by the municipality too! In Puttaparthi, the Sai Animal Lovers are concerned by this disrespect of the laws and of the instructions of the AP government by some municipal authorities. We urge all the municipalities, and especially in the Anantapur district, to follow truthfully the laws concerning stray dogs management. And also we kindly request the Karuna Society and the Sathya Sai Trust to use all their power and influence to protect the dogs in Puttaparthi and in the ashram, to prevent madness and cruelty and to promote love, care and respect towards our doggy friends. Thanking all of you for your attention and support. Sai Animal Lovers